QR CODING PROJECT PROPOSAL

Prepared by
Tony Tin, AU Library Services

Submission Date:

December 19th, 2012

Prepared by:

Tony Tin

Principal Developer:
Tony Tin
Project Co-ordinator, Library Services
Kathy Wright
Tourism Co-ordinator, Town of Athabasca
Co-Developers
Dr. Mike Gismondi
Professor, Sociology and Global Studies, Master of Arts in
Integrated Studies
Athabasca Heritage Society
Dr. Evelyn Ellerman,
Associate Professor, Communication Studies and Coordinator,
E-Lab
Dr. Gregory Johnson
Academic Coordinator, History
Qing Tan
School of Computing and Information Systems
Marilyn Mol
Manager, Alice B. Donahue Library & Archives
Colin Elliot
Co-ordinator, Digitization, Library Services
Joe Rosich
Program Co-ordinator, Heritage Resource Management program

Mike MacLean,
Project Leader, University Archive
Blaise MacMullin
Videographer

Nancy Tarrant-Wood
Office of the President

Hongxing (Bill) Geng

Systems Analysis and Design, Library Services
Viorel Tabara,
System Support, Computing Services
Marcia Woytovicz
Digitizer, Library Services

Project Title:

Using QR Code Technology for Community Information Including

Heritage and Culture

Start Date:

January 1st, 2013

Completion Date:

May 31, 2013

Project Description
A. Background
This project will design and develop a QR coding system that tags relevant
historical points of interest in Athabasca as a means of enriching the experience of
people wanting to learn more about the places, people and events that have shaped
the town and the area. The system will provide an easy method of creating QR
codes, metadata entry, geo-referencing, and web linking for anyone wishing to
update the information in future, or create new information. It will have a
statistical tracking and reporting function to help measure use of the system.
Quick Response (QR) codes are easy to use, simple to make and becoming
increasingly pervasive. They can be generated instantly, allowing users to access
information using QR code readers with a mobile device such as a cell phone. The
idea of linking spaces and objects to information is not new; parks and museums

have traditionally used interpretive signs for this purpose. But the addition of QR
code technology allows for a much richer interaction with places and things by
providing people with options to receive their information from an array of
images, audio-files, videos as well as text. QR codes essentially provide new
levels of meta-tagging that increase flexibility and interactivity with the
environment.
At Athabasca University (AU), a QR coding pilot project was initiated in the
summer of 2012. QR codes were used on Library event posters and were also
featured at the AU Art Walk during the Universitys 2012 Convocation. QR codes
linked a dozen spaces/objects to videos giving viewers the chance to access
further information about the object, its place in the collection, or its significance
to the University. For example, the AU Mace was tagged and linked to a
summary of its history and importance. The summary was provided by the
Registrar, who traditionally carries the mace at Convocation..
QR codes are a simple technology that can be used in many ways. The
technology might, for example, be used to deepen a tourist's experience with
interpretive signage on-site and then direct her to an array of other sites; the
system might encourage school children to collect points along the way in a sort
of treasure hunt. AU Library has been working with the Town of Athabasca on a
QR Coding such a project aimed at assisting the town to market itself better to
tourists. But the information could be of use to others as well. A local teacher, for
instance, might choose to use the QR Codes with his students during field trips
that focus on Athabascas history.
The Town of Athabasca is in the process of updating a series of panels located
throughout the community. The current panels, which have historical and nature
images and text, will be augmented with QR codes allowing the user to link to
timely information and activities in the town. The project will create content and
apply fifteen QR tags to objects/places throughout the town, including AU
campus. These QR codes will link to interactive and contextual contents,
including short video clips from "experts" speaking about the object/place, and
other visual and interpretive text. The information will provide an in-context tour
of the town introducing objects, places and people important to the town. This
project will include a pilot launch in May to determine the success of the project.
It is anticipated that this pilot in Athabasca could be turned into a regional
initiative that would attract and keep tourists in the area longer.
Project Partners:
Town of Athabasca
Athabasca Heritage Society
Athabasca University:
Library
School of Computing and Information Systems

e-Lab
Heritage Resource Management
Office of the President

B. Objectives:
The objectives of this project are to:
Design and develop a QR coding system to tag and code landmarks and
attractions in the Town of Athabasca

Conduct research on the history of the Town of Athabasca and liaise with
library, archives, historical society and the public as needed for the QR Codes

Digitize and develop content (audio, video, images) in support of the project,
including short stories, images and other media; these will be recorded,
archived, and coded

Create tags with content for at least 15 locations in the Town of Athabasca and
AU campus

Conduct a pilot launch to test usability and feasibility of using QR codes in

the Town of Athabasca

Prepare a summary report on the technology used and results

of the project

Prepare guidelines or best practices to help other towns

regarding QR code technology deployment

C. Project Benefits:

Promote tourism and investment through the use of rich sources of information,
freely and conveniently available to anyone with a mobile device. The longer
tourists and others spend in the community, the greater the benefit to the local
economy and the greater its profile

Present the history of community as a seamless web through rich content about
people, places and events

Establish connections between otherwise separate parts of community life,

increasing an appreciation of heritage as a relevant and important part of everyday
life

Foster the development of regional identities through use of similar technology

and approach to community content

Meet immediate and long- term digital preservation needs of materials and
resources that are difficult or expensive to preserve in other formats

Create an environment in which multiple formats make use of one aggregated

source

Produce and actively promote the resulting tools, prototype framework, report,
and best practices document to small towns, small museums, and heritage
organizations in Alberta, allowing them to set up their own QR code system easily
and economically

D. Funding:
We have received a grant from Alberta Tourism ($8,000) to complete the Athabasca
project as a pilot to showcase the technology to other municipalities.

E. Process and Timelines

December
2012

January

The project team will meet with

interested parties, stakeholders, and
individuals for contributions to use for the
objects and places that will be QR coded.
Identify landmarks to be included and
content to accompany them.
The project team will hold design phase
and technical meetings with project groups
and Computer Services, reviewing the QR
code system requirement, metadata
standards, format being used, and system
support.

Develop timeline and documentation for

implementation strategy and conduct
strength and gap analysis. The project
team will acquire hardware, software and
resources for project use.
The library will hire a project
facilitator/researcher to conduct research
on the history of the Town of Athabasca
and liaise with the library, archives,
historical society and the public regarding
content and project.
On a regular basis, the project team will
conduct the following:

February
March, 2013

The project team will perform the

following:

April May
2013

Group and input co-ordination

On-going researcher training
On-going input editing
knowledge dissemination

Design QR code template and

metadata
Create content
Metatag content
Create unique QR codes
Design and prepare questionnaire
for pilot launch use.

The project team will operate the QR

coding system and test the system with
various devices and platforms.
The project Team will document the
development and create a guideline or best
practice document for others to use.
The project team will provide user training
and conduct system feasibility and

reliability assessment.
The project team will research and explore
the use of QR/NFC codes for other
community services and information
retrieval.
June, 2013

The project team will prepare a report on

the technology used and result of the
project.

F. Project Management
The principal developer will manage the project. Progress will be monitored by the
development team through periodic team meetings and review of the work of the team
members, web developer, and project partners.

Personnel

Role & duties of the principal developer

To oversee and manage the operation of the project.

To assist with the operational and technical aspects of
the project, including system and content
development, implementation, maintenance,
documentation, digitization, and user training and
support.

Role & duties of the co-developers

The principal developer and co-developers hold

positions at Athabasca University in relevant fields.
The project facilitator/researcher hired will have
documented experience in the relevant field(s).

Education and experience required of

personnel who will be working on the
research project

G. Dissemination

Information/Articles on ARDN site and on university websites and publications

Articles in local newspapers, interviews on local radio

Information session at local schools

7

Report/best practice document

Workshop

Social networks

Members of the project team will be available to make presentations on the QR coding
project in conjunction with town-sponsored and other special events such as the
Municipal Heritage Conference, a Lunch n Learn session at the University and an
ARDN engagement workshop.
Members of the development team will create a QR code and poster to promote the
project.

H. Results
A fully functional QR Coding system to provide easy access to the towns attractions and
heritage information through pointing at QR codes with mobile devices.

I. Performance Indicators

At the system level, we will test for functionality and usability and evaluate the feasibility
and reliability of the system. Usability and efficiency are important key performance
indicators; this will be reflected by increased usage and feedback from the users.
At the institutional level, findings from this project will be reported to Town Council and
ITS committee informally and formally through reports presented to funding agencies.
Findings from this project will be presented at appropriate scholarly conferences and
submitted to appropriate journals for publication.